Why Support New Zealand Businesses?

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Kiwis love online shopping. In 2021 alone, 88 percent of us between the ages of 16 and 64 looked for products to buy online. Collectively, we spent $7.67 billion. But a large number of New Zealanders aren’t restricting their spending habits to New Zealand businesses alone. Instead, we’re browsing the offerings of international companies. 

While there’s little harm in making purchases from the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries, there’s certainly value in supporting New Zealand businesses a little more, and here’s why: 

Confidence in Quality Products

You might think you’re getting a bargain by purchasing something from overseas, but that’s not always the case. You might spend less in some cases, but the product you receive in the mail many weeks later might be of a far lower quality than any product you can buy in New Zealand. 

After all, many NZ businesses pride themselves on quality goods and selling products that are made to last. They’ve done their research on the best products to stock to keep their Kiwi customers happy. 

What’s more, many NZ businesses sell NZ-made products. When you purchase products in New Zealand made by New Zealanders, you’re supporting both the business selling the product and the person or company making it. 

Fast Shipping

The shipping process is perhaps the most frustrating part about online shopping, apart from going to order and realising you left your debit card in the car. If you purchase goods from overseas, you typically wait several weeks for them to arrive. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are even more delays with international shipping. These are apparently caused by reduced airfreight capacity and the processing delays being experienced across many countries. 

So, while you might already be waiting weeks for something you purchased to arrive from another country, you might end up waiting even more weeks on top of that timeframe due to those frustrating delays.

Typically, that doesn’t happen in New Zealand. If you purchase something from a reputable business, you can enjoy overnight delivery or delivery within a few business days. Businesses like Greenstone Dispensary have an overnight delivery target to main centres and 2-3 business days for rural areas. 

After-Sales Support

If something is wrong with the product you’ve purchased from overseas, after waiting weeks or months for it to arrive, don’t expect to receive exceptional customer service. Some companies have poor support options, and that’s if you ever hear from anyone at all. 

That’s not the case with most NZ businesses. You can contact them on the phone or online, and most business owners will rectify the problem within a matter of days to keep your stress levels to a minimum. This can be particularly helpful if you made a big-ticket purchase and something went wrong. 

Greenstone Dispensary offers contact information, including an address, email address, and phone number, so customers have no problems getting in touch. 

Safety

New Zealand businesses have strict product safety standards they have to abide by. Basically, that means they can’t sell anything that isn’t safe. 

According to Consumer Protection, New Zealand businesses must ensure products meet mandatory product safety standards, monitor product safety over their lifecycle, and track incidents. If they become aware of any problems, they do their best to inform customers and rectify the situation. 

You might not experience the same exceptional service from overseas businesses. There are typically no guarantees that product manufacturers in other countries abide by the same product safety standards as we do. 

To Help Them Keep Their Doors Open

Many NZ businesses rely on NZ customers – both online and in person. Small businesses need the support of their customers to pay their bills, support their staff, and contribute to the communities they live in. 

Sadly, some sources report that 96% of small businesses fail in their first two years. That means that just one in 25 small businesses manage to make it through their first two years. By supporting local small businesses, you might help them avoid being a statistic. 

To Enjoy NZ-Made Products

While many businesses throughout Aotearoa purchase products made overseas to meet local demand, just as many do their best to purchase goods made right here in New Zealand. In a country full of imported goods, you can enjoy the feel-good factor of knowing you’ve purchased something created in our small paradise. 

Shop With New Zealand-Owned and Operated Greenstone Dispensary

There’s no denying that it can be tempting to purchase products from overseas, especially when you’ve been lured in with competitive pricing or unique marketing techniques. However, there’s certainly value in shopping local. Greenstone Dispensary is proud to be a locally owned and operated business, based in Dunedin, Otago, offering a range of quality goods like rolling papers, glassware, vapes, dabware, and more.